Diggs named NFC Defensive Player of the Month

Laura Veras Marran

01/02/2003

Packers linebacker Na'il Diggs has been named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for December.
The third-year linebacker, one of just eight Packers to play in all 16 games, posted 37 tackles (30 solo) in the final month, leading the Packers in that category in the last two games of the regular season.<P>

Diggs also had one interception, two pass break-ups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Diggs' biggest game of the season, if not his career, was arguably in the team's shutout of the Buffalo Bills Dec. 22.

In addition to his team-high 10 tackles, Diggs forced and recovered a Travis Henry fumble in the first quarter and intercepted a Drew Bledsoe pass late in the second quarter.

Against the Minnesota Vikings, Diggs made only six tackles, but made them count. The Ohio State product came through with a one-armed takedown of running back Michael Bennett on a third-down screen pass in the fourth quarter that forced a punt and set up the Packers' winning drive.

Another of Diggs' outstanding contributions probably came as a surprise to him as well as to his coach. Diggs produced a 33-yard return down the right sideline that set up a Packers score against the San Francisco 49ers after Vonnie Holliday intercepted a Jeff Garcia pass and gave it to Diggs on a lateral.